Reinforcing means for an article of luggage



April l, 1958 w. H. ARLrrT, JR 2,828,844

REINFORCING MEANS FOR AN ARTICLE 0F LUGGAGE INVENT OR ATTORNEY 5 UnitedStates Patent 2,828,844 iPa-tentevd'Apr. 1, 1958 REINFORCING NEANS FORAN ARTICLE F LUGGAGE William H. Arlitt, Jr., San Antonio, Tex.

Application August 26, 1955, Serial No. 530,774

1 Claim. (Cl. wil- 28) This invention relates to articles of luggage,and more specifically, the invention pertains to reinforcing means forthe ends of the walls of the baggage compartment and closure membertherefor.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a continuousstrip of extended light weight metal or of other suitable materials as areinforcing device for the edges of the walls of the baggage compartmentof an article of luggage and for its closure member, reference beingmade to those edges of the walls of the compartment and member disposedadjacent their respective open ends.

Another object of this invention is to provide reinforcing means of thetype described with interlitting means to make dust and waterproof thejunction between the closure member and the luggage compartment.

A further object of this invention is to provide reinforcing means ofthe kind referred to above with friction means to prevent inadvertent oraccidental separation of the reinforcing means from the suitcase walls.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a reinforcingdevice for the walls of a suitcase which is economical to manufacture,non-complex in construction and application, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present inention willbecome more evident from a consideration of the following specificationwhen read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational View of an article of luggage constructedin accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view taken on thevertical plane of line 2-2 of Figure l, looking in the direction of thearrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary inside elevational view of the article ofluggage illustrated in Figure l.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the reinforcing device constructed inaccordance with this invention.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view taken on thehorizontal plane of line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional View of the reinforcing strip shown inFigure 4, the ligure illustrating the reinforcing strip in its positionprior to connection with the side and end walls of the article ofluggage.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail cross-sectional view taken on thehorizontal plane of line 7 7 of Figure 5, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, the side wall of the luggage being omitted.

Figure S is a fragmentary detail cross-sectional view taken on thevertical plane of line 8-3 of Figure 7, looking in the direction of thearrows.

This specification should be read in conjunction with my copendingapplication Serial No. 530,772, filed August 26, 1955, and entitledLuggage Construction.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, reference numeral 10designates, in general, an article of luggage such as, for example, asuitcase in which has 2 been incorporated the reinforcing deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention. The reinforcingdevice is seen to comprise an elongated strip of extruded light weightmaterial 14 such as, for example, aluminum. The reinforcing strip 14 hasa -substantially U-shaped configuration including lthe spaced side walls16, 18, the side walls 16, 18 being integrally. connected Yat one 'oftheir respective adjacent ends by a bight member 20. As is seen inFigure 6, the leg 1S prior to its attachment to the suitcase is inclinedoutwardly from the bight 20 at an acuate angle relative thereto, and atthe inner cover of their junction the strip 14 is formed with alongitudinally extending substantially circular groove 21. An elongatedsubstantially rectangular longitudinally extending flange 22, having aninclined face 23, projects laterally from the bight member 20.

As is illustrated in the drawing, a'pair of raised longitudinallyextending ribs 24 and 26 project laterally from the adjacent surfaces ofthe walls 16 and 18.

ln applying this reinforcing means to the suitcase 10, the strip 14 isslipped over the upper ends of the side walls 2S and end walls 3d of theluggage compartment 32 `of the suitcase 10, the ends of the walls 28, 30engaging against the bight member 2t), and the side wall 16 engagesagainst the sides of the walls. In this position the flange 22 projectsupwardly toward the lid or closure member 34, and the wall 1S divergesdownwardly away therefrom The wall 1S is then bent inwardly toward theadjacent sides of the side and end walls, the groove 21 weakening thestrip 14 to facilitate this operation, the wall 18 assuming the dottedline position as shown in Figure 6. The ribs 24 and 26 slightlypenetrate the side and end walls, 2S and 3d, which are now tightlyclamped between the side walls 16, 18.

A second strip of material 14A is applied to the ends of the side walls36 and end walls 38 of the closure member S4. it is to be noticed thatthe inversion of the strip 14A when applied to the closure memberresults in a laterally offset relation of the flange 22A of the strip14A on the closure member 34 with respect to the flange 22 of the strip14 applied to the luggage compartment 32.

The side 18A of the strip 14A is now bent as before to cause a slightpenetration of the ribs 24A and 26A therein thereby securing the strip14A lixedly thereto.

The offset relationship between the flanges 22 and 22A on the strips 14and 14A applied to the walls of the luggage compartment 32 and closuremember 34 permits the faces 23, 23A flanges to move into juxtaposedsideby-side relationship when the closure member 34 is moved to itsclosed position. When fully closed, the ends of the flanges 22, 22Aengage against and seat on the bight portions 29 of their respectiveoppositely disposed strips 14.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention, itwill be understood that the same is o'l'ered merely by way of example,and that the invention is to kbe limited only by the scope of theappended claim.

What is claimed is:

In luggage of the type having a compartment member and a closure memberhingedly connected thereto with said compartment member and said closuremember each having side Walls with abutting terminal edges, areinforcing means for said terminal edges comprising an elongatedrelatively at arm, a second elongated relative flat arm coextensive withsaid first arm and arranged in substantially parallel spaced relationthereto, said arms each having parallel inner and outer faces, a bightextending generally perpendicularly to and integrally connectingadjacent edges of said arms, a flange having one side thereof alignedwith one side of said bight and the other side thereof spaced inwardlyfrom the other side of said bight, a rib formed on said rst arm inparallel spaced irceff Y i j 2,828,844

aid high 827,229 Germany Feb. 21, 1952

